Seeing that Lillian didn’t seem too interested in continuing the topic, Melissa shifted gears. “Hey, Jasmine, have you picked out something to give Quincy?”
“All of them!” Jasmine declared.
“You’re not keeping anything for yourself?”
“I’ll ask my dad to buy me more!”
“Wow, look at you, so generous.” Melissa chuckled, surprised.
Jasmine lifted her chin proudly. Of course, she wouldn’t admit her real thoughts – if Quincy got all these gifts, he’d probably be too embarrassed to fight her for Mommy’s attention, right?
Sure enough, Quincy was already waiting at home with his little backpack on, grinning from ear to ear when Lillian arrived to take him out.
He’d been worried this mom might leave him too.
But the moment he hopped into the car and saw the “Little Devil” sitting there, his smile nearly froze.
“Hi, Jasmine,” he greeted awkwardly.
“Hi, Quincy!” Jasmine beamed. “Here, they are all for you!”
Jasmine pointed proudly at the loaded trunk.
Quincy: “…”
Didn’t she say their family was poor?
Of course, kids never hold grudges for long. Before they knew it, the two were chatting away, their innocent chatter both amusing and frustrating to hear.
Since it was a hot day, Ford had arranged for an indoor trip to a planetarium followed by a children’s play center. The two little ones played so hard they were drenched in sweat. Afterward, they grabbed a meal at a kid-friendly restaurant, and then spent the afternoon exploring the aquarium. By the time they returned home, the sun was already setting.
By now, they were walking hand in hand, inseparable.
“It’s nice,” Melissa said thoughtfully. “Jasmine’s never really had kids her age to play with. She smiled all day – I don’t think I’ve seen her this happy in a long time.”
“Still the same with George?” Lillian asked.
“Yeah, same old story. We’ve been tangled up for so many years, I’ve just gotten used to it.” Melissa shrugged. “I Tried a few blind dates recently, but George always found a way to mess things up. When a man decides to be a pain in the ass, you just can’t shake him. Honestly, I’ve wasted almost twenty years on that guy. Feels like… such a long stretch of time.”
“And you?” Melissa turned to Lillian. “What’s Ethan like? I’ve heard George speak pretty highly of him.”
“Ethan’s a really good person,” Lillian said softly. “I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about him. But… maybe because he’s too good, people tend to overlook his needs.”
“Yeah, being too nice has its downsides. But… do you love him?” Melissa asked, locking eyes with her.
Lillian gazed off into the distance. “That kind of passionate love… it’s just not possible anymore.”
She’d loved once, fiercely and without reservation. After that… she didn’t have the strength to give her heart away again.
“But love comes in many forms,” Lillian said quietly. “Ethan and I both have our own stories… it’s not what you all think.”
Melissa shrugged. “All I know is that what you’re telling me sounds like you chose someone suitable, not someone you love. I still remember you once telling me that you had to marry someone you loved – that only love could carry you through a lifetime together. Without it, you couldn’t imagine what spending decades with someone would even feel like.”
“Maybe… people change,” Lillian replied.
“So… Conrad doesn’t have a chance anymore, huh?” Melissa asked softly, watching as the man climbed out of a car and walked toward them.
Lillian had already noticed him too.
“Our ending… was decided a long time ago,” she said quietly.
An off-road vehicle came to a stop, and Conrad stepped out, covered in dirt and grime. It wasn’t clear where he’d been, but his determined steps never faltered as he strode toward her under the setting sun.
The wind swept across his forehead, revealing his sharp, intense gaze.
In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of her, and without a second thought, he pulled her tightly into his arms.
Lillian barely had time to react before she found herself crushed against his burning chest. His embrace was searing, his grip fierce. Instinctively, she frowned and struggled to push him away, but before she could break free, he cupped her face in his hands and leaned in to kiss her.
“I don’t want this,” she whispered.
And just like that, he stopped.
Melissa, still wide-eyed from the scene, saw George approaching to pick her up. She pressed her lips together, then stood up and muttered under her breath, “Talk things through properly this time, alright? Don’t be reckless like before… these things take time to process.”
She walked over to George and immediately asked, “Did you guys figure it out? What happened? Why’s he acting crazy the moment he gets back?”
George tucked her into the car and said, “I’ll arrange for someone to take Jasmine home. Those two need to talk – they’ve let too many misunderstandings pile up. And besides… Conrad still owes her something.”
He paused, then added, “He still hasn’t told her he loves her.”
All these years, feelings were left unsaid.
He needed to say it himself.
Conrad’s hands still trembled as he held her face, his thumb repeatedly tracing the curve of her cheek. “I…”
“Let go of me first,” Lillian interrupted.
He was too close, and it made her uncomfortable.
Just then, Ethan arrived to pick up Quincy.
Jasmine and Quincy emerged hand in hand, both calling out in unison, “Dad!”
Jasmine immediately let go of Quincy’s hand and ran over. “Daddy, are you here to take me and Mommy home?”
Quincy also dashed over to Ethan, shouting excitedly, “Dad!”
Ethan scooped him up in his arms. Spotting Conrad still clinging to Lillian, Ethan didn’t approach. Instead, he calmly asked, “Lillian?”
Lillian turned her face away. “Ethan… I need to talk to him.”
She wasn’t asking him to leave – she just needed to talk to Conrad.
Her final choice… seemed clearer than ever.
Ford picked Jasmine up and carried her away.
“Ford, why are you taking me?” she asked.
“Your mom and dad need to talk,” Ford explained gently. “Be a good girl, okay?”
Jasmine nodded and lay across the car window, watching them.
Conrad still hadn’t let go. In fact, his grip tightened slightly, as if he didn’t want her looking at anyone else.
“I went to find Ethan,” Conrad said hoarsely. “I went to the place where you first met. I went to the house where he kept you… I even found the old man who answered your call back then.”
His voice shook, his eyes turning redder with every word.
“I went to the cliff,” he went on. “I found the car… and I found Frank.”
Lillian’s pupils widened, like she hadn’t thought about that person in a long time. Just hearing his name made her involuntarily tremble.
“I suspected it was him,” Conrad said, his voice rough. “I had people look into him… but nothing came up. I even found out he was married. I never imagined… never imagined you’d end up in his hands. I even dug into every last member of Hunter’s family – turned them all upside down. I didn’t leave a single one unchecked.”
“When I saw Jasmine… I thought… I thought you didn’t want me anymore – didn’t want her either. I told myself… as long as you were alive, that was enough. As long as you were alive… I didn’t care where you were.”
His voice broke, tears welling up in his eyes.
Lillian stared at him – at the pain written all over his face, at how he was unraveling before her, spilling out everything in a single breath.
“I can’t even imagine… how you survived all those endless days and nights alone. And yet somehow… you found the strength to bring Jasmine into this world.” His voice shook harder. “Lillian… I regret it. I spent countless days praying for you to come back.”
“I regret it… I regret not cherishing you when I had the chance. I regret hiding you in the shadows… regret making too many enemies, regret how reckless I was… dragging you into endless suffering.”
“My biggest regret,” his voice dropped to a whisper, “is that I couldn’t hold on to you. I thought I was invincible… but I couldn’t even protect the woman I love. I thought I could have anything I wanted… but I couldn’t make you keep loving me.”
“I’m nothing but a complete failure.”
Still holding her, he slowly sank to one knee, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist as he pressed his face against her stomach.
“You carried our child,” his voice cracked. “What do I have left to offer you now? I love you.”
“Lillian… I love you.”
“Conrad loves Lillian,” he murmured. “In this life and every life to come… without regret, without end.”
He spoke each word slowly, as if engraving them into the fading sunlight. The evening glow bathed them, turning the moment into a picture no one would forget.